The Gold Coast has retained its position as Queensland’s largest holiday market, welcoming $5.6 billion in domestic visitor expenditure from 10 million visitors in the nine months from January to September 2025, according to the latest data from Tourism Research Australia.
International visitation to the Gold Coast continues to reach new heights. Total international visitor expenditure for the year ending September 2025 was $1.4 billion, 14% more than the previous year, from 651,000 international visitors.
In the year ending September 2025, the destination welcomed 63,000 visitors from the United Kingdom (UK), delivering a record 926,000 visitor nights (an increase of 56% on the previous year).
Asian markets continue to grow with Chinese visitation reaching a five-year high of 60,000 visitors in the year ending September 2025. Indian visitation increased by 35%, with 25,000 visitors travelling to the Gold Coast over the same period.
New Zealand remains the Gold Coast’s top visitor market, holding steady with 214,000 visitors for the year.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said results highlight the city’s enduring appeal to both domestic and international travellers and the impact of the city’s latest tourism campaign, Get Up and Gold Coast.
“The Gold Coast continues to perform as Queensland’s leading holiday destination because we invest in the experiences, events and nature-based tourism that visitors love,” said Mayor Tom Tate.
“These results show confidence in our city and the strength of our tourism sector as we head into the busiest holiday season of the year.”
Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn says the positive numbers are also a testament to the region’s growing international event portfolio.
“Events like the British and Irish Lions tour don’t just fill stadiums – the latest data shows they drive real visitation outcomes and longer stays from key markets,” said John Warn.
“Strong results from the UK, along with growing momentum in India and Asia, highlight the Gold Coast’s appeal as a global sports tourism destination.
“We’re encouraged by this growth and look forward to building on it through our strong events calendar, including TAB Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival, AFC Asian Women’s Cup and Rugby League World Cup which are expected to further strengthen our international visitation story.”
The positive results come as the Gold Coast prepares for its peak holiday season. Occupancy is looking strong for the month of December sitting at 75%, an improvement versus last year (73%), according to CoStar data.
Further reinforcing the positive holiday outlook, Tourism & Transport Forum Australia's annual Summer Travel Survey has revealed the Gold Coast is the most popular summer holiday destination in the country.
The Gold Coast was recently recognised for its exceptional tourism offering, winning a clean sweep of the Major Tourist Attraction category at the 2025 Queensland Tourism Awards.
DOMESTIC HIGHLIGHTS (January – September 2025)
- 10 million domestic visitors (3.7 million overnight, 6.4 million day trips)
- $5.6 billion domestic visitor expenditure ($4.6 billion overnight, $1 billion day trip)
- Queensland’s largest domestic overnight holiday market
- Australia’s third largest domestic overnight holiday market
- Gold Coast holds largest market share of visitation in Queensland from key markets including Melbourne and Sydney
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS (year ending September 2025)
- $1.4 billion international expenditure
- 651,000 international visitors
- 9.5 million international visitor nights (19% increase YoY)
- Record-breaking 926,000 UK visitor nights (63,000 visitors)
- 60,000 Chinese visitors (6% YoY increase)
- 25,000 Indian visitors (35% YoY increase)
- 21,000 German visitors (2% YoY increase)
CONTACT
Hannah Matchett | 0466 631 416 | hannah.matchett@xperiencegoldcoast.com
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Experience Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.